BFL Day 11

The time is slipping by, day eleven of my 84 day transformation and I've survived a great weekend of crappy eating. Returning from the Fourth of July weekend, I've had to recommit to the plan and buckle down on managing the cheats day to day. My kids love ice cream, I love ice cream. If I buy them ice cream, I want to eat ice cream with them. They're kids, they are supposed to eat ice cream during the summer. As the dad, I am not. Instead, I've found a simple, delicious replacement. If I take 2 scoops of chocolate whey protein powder, 1 cup of water, 3 cubes of ice, and 1 cup of mixed frozen (unsweetened) berries and blend until smooth, I get something that satisfies my desire for ice cream with 40 grams of protein (and under 300 calories).

The exercise part of the plan is going well. I've been able to keep up with the upper and lower body workouts alternating with the cardio portion. I'm noticing a difference in the size of my biceps/triceps, I think I even see a little bit of definition in my triceps (which I've never seen). Unfortunately, my chest just isn't showing much progress. I'm hoping its just a matter of time before I start seeing my flabs turn into abs.

My Weekly Meal Planner

For the past three days I've been working on a weekly menu that I can realistically follow while I'm entering the next stage of my "body is a temple" home improvement project. After about 12 hours of research, calorie counting, etc. I think I've done it!  I've uploaded it via GoogleDocs, take a look.

The diet includes six, 300 +/- calorie meals per day, 46% protein, 39% carbs, and 17% fat.  It represents getting at least my body weight in grams of protein every day, but is a bit closer to the recommendations I found using Bodybuilder.com's Protein Calculator.  If the article at the site is accurate and I follow Bill Phillip's suggestions about making sure every workout has a high-point moment, I'm hoping to have a much leaner, stronger, and sexier physique (just in time for my 39th birthday).

I've also been working on planning out the 84 days on a GoogleCalendar I'm sharing.  Anyone want to do this thing with me?  I'd be more than happy to have a few friends to track progress with.

Planning for the Next Challenge

I've decided to walk away from Ideal Protein for a while to focus on another goal I have in transforming the way I look and how I eat. Years ago I read Body for Life by Bill Phillips and attempted the challenge he describes. It was a failure.

Now that I've completed 50+ days on IP, I feel I have a better handle on how to eat and how to be healthy. My next goal is to lose an additional 10 pounds of flab and gain back 15 pounds of muscle. Ideally, I'd like to be 175 pounds lean and strong. Instead of flabs of steel, I'd like to look in the mirror and be able to see some muscle definition. To that end, I've decided to try the Body for Life challenge. It'll be 84 days beginning June 27 and ending September 17. If I can lose 25 pounds in 53 days, gaining 15 in 84 days has got to be a cinch!

In getting ready for the challenge, I'm planning my meals and workout routines. A good part of my day (after coming home from the beach and viewing a little inspiration) was dedicated to planning a 1700 calorie/day diet that is healthy fat, low carb, and high protein. It still has some tweaking, I'll work on that more tomorrow. I'm excited that I'll have six meals a day, most under 300 calories. I'll get to reintroduce fruit, whole grains, and yams. I'll also have a once per week splurge day to eat whatever it is I care to, pizza, nachos, fries...you name it! If I want a bag of Oreos and a gallon of milk for dinner, so be it.

Once I'm finished creating my meal and workout plans, I'll share the links like I have the IP items. I'm excited to begin this new part of the journey, I'm excited to begin back at the gym to work off some of the daily frustrations and stresses.

A big shift...

Six weeks on IP, I've lost 25 pounds and look great (when all my trouble spots are hidden by clothing). When the clothes come off, my stomach looks just like a deflated latex balloon. Its flabby, wrinkly, and jiggles. My upper body has little muscle definition and my arms are toothpicks. I like the weight-loss, I do NOT like the way my body looks after the rapid deflation.

Its time for me to start the next stage in my journey, I'm leaving the IP protocol on Sunday and am beginning the Body For Life challenge. Its a 12 week program with many of the same components of IP, really its just Phase 3 of IP adding aerobic exercise and weight lifting. I first read the book when I was at BYU in '99 when my friend Krista and I found ourselves looking and feeling flabby. We agreed to enter the challenge and somewhere along the way got sidetracked. I never completed the challenge, instead I proceeded to gain another 40 pounds to get to my highest weight ever (260 pounds).

With six weeks of IP eating under my belt, I think I have the discipline to follow the eating guidelines set forth. Before IP, I was working out 3-4x week. If I can couple the two, eat enough lean calories, increase the intensity of my workouts, and track my progress I believe I'll hit my goal right before my 39th birthday and the trip to Mexico I'm rewarding myself with.

Supplements

The kids are still sleeping, I have a few minutes to talk about supplements. Yes, you should be taking supplements while doing any kind of ketogenic diet. During phase one of the plan you are seriously restricting your calorie intake as well as cutting out most of the B vitamins you'd have absorbed from eating grains.

On Ideal Protein (IP) the supplements are expensive, $24 per bottle and there are three bottles you purchase on a monthly basis. Add that to the food costs and you've got yourself a break the bank diet. Again, I've had to do some comparison shopping to keep the costs down. The Trader Joe's Pantheon Pack wins for the $10.99 monthly cost. The supplementation is roughly similar. To view my side-by-sides, view the IP Comparison Spreadsheet I've created, click the Supplements tab at the bottom.

On the IP side, most of the minerals are citrates verses carbonates. I'm going to have to do my research to find out which of the two are better choices in terms of absorption. I'm guessing the citrates will win due to IP choosing them over the carbonates. The one thing about IP is its attention to quality time and again, it costs more because its better stuff.

The one thing you'll need to add to the Pantheon Pack is potassium. I had a hard time finding any multi-vitamin regimen that included the correct amount of potassium and I found it to be key in staving off the calf muscle cramps I sometimes get in the middle of the night. Currently, I'm finishing out my bottle of IP Potassium/Calcium supplements. When it runs dry, I'll head over to the Super Supplements store nearby to see what they offer.

Phasing Out

The kids arrived a couple of weeks ago and since its been a tough battle trying to prepare two sets of meals breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I need to take a break from protocol eating and return to real-life. In phase two of IP, instead of consuming their packets three times per day, you reduce to two and prepare two dinner-like meals. In phase three, only one IP packet (for snacktime) and the reintroduction of carbs to the diet for breakfast. Its frustrating in many respects that I'm working on week six of the plan and I have probably another four weeks of phasing out.

I just don't know if I want to keep this up. Perhaps today is a low moment, perhaps its been a few weeks of low moments. I need to be able to go back to the gym, to play soccer with some stamina, and not feel like I'm constantly on restriction. I want to eat like a real person again, to enjoy a glass of wine or eat a chocolate chip cookie without guilt. Four more weeks of lean protein and no carbs is beginning to feel like a punishment.

The Difference a Year Makes

I was doing a little clean-up in my iPhoto library and ran across a couple of pictures that made me realize how much weight I'd lost since starting the IP protocol. The first was taken June 18, 2010 during Pride weekend. I weighed in at nearly 217 pounds. You can see that I fill out the shirt in SO many ways. The second was taken June 1, 2011 when I weighed in at 175 pounds. The weight loss didn't happen gradually, instead 90% of it happened in the last six weeks after beginning the protocol on May 1, 2011.

I'm glad I ran into these two photos today. I had a poor weigh-in on Friday morning. I'd cheated throughout the week, having chocolate, popcorn, nuts, and dried fruits (all relatively healthy snacks) and gained 3 pounds. I've been beating myself up for the last two days over it, even after my coach suggested that I let it go.

The weight gain was a result of having replenished my glycogen stores using the few carbs that I'd given myself after eating those "healthy" snacks in addition to the IP meals. Glycogen binds itself to water molecules and is stored throughout your body to give fuel to your cells. What I hadn't realized was how little it takes to through off the balance between ketosis and carb-burning. Looking at the quantities, I'd probably eaten two-cups of popped corn, a cup of trail mix (over two days), and several squares of the darkest chocolate.

If on the diet you feel like having a cheat day, don't do it! Its far better to eat a little more protein, have another IP shake or eat deli-sliced lunchmeats than to have a few carbs. I'm in the middle of returning to ketosis after two days of intense carb cravings. I've got the tell-tale "tin-mouth" and non-stop craving for a dough-nut which signaled the start of the IP journey a month ago. Its not fun having to start over, but I'm hoping the scale will be much kinder to me next Friday.

Skip Eating Out - At Least During the First Few Weeks

In the first week of the IP protocol, and every week after, be prepared to hit the brick wall of restriction. This diet is more about what you can't have than what you can. You say goodbye to fruit, grains, and legumes. There are no more carrot sticks, potatoes, or yams. Motivation is high the first week, I kept reminding myself "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." The saying works fine at home where you have control over your food choices. If you're feeling adventurous during that first week, try going out to eat one evening and order from the regular menu.

My experience was disastrous. I'll have the...but can I have...on the side. Oh wait, can I substitute....Pretty soon you'll have the most patient server either in tears or rolling their eyes while you try to figure out what to have with all of your dietary restrictions. If you think you can order a salad, take a second look at the ingredient list. That southwest chicken cob isn't going to work like you thought when you remove the cheese, bacon, corn, carrots, tomato, and dressing. You'll be left with a plate of plain greens topped with a few bits of cold, grilled chicken.

Now that I'm more familiar with the protocol, I've changed my eating-out behaviors to ask the server what steamed vegetables the restaurant might be serving when they're taking the drink order. I'll also quickly scan all of the entrees to determine what lean protein choices may be available. Once that is complete, I'll order off-menu from the choices. At the Skillet Diner on Cap Hill, I've become known for ordering the Roasted Cauli from the breakfast menu, the grilled asparagus from the dinner menu, and the salisbury steak from the lunch menu (sans gravy). So far, they've not complained and its been 100% IP approved. The only drawback, price. When you order off-menu, be prepared. Your entree is going to cost extra. Luckily, since you won't be ordering wine or other adult beverages, you won't be feeling the pinch when the bill hits the table.

Lean Protein Choices

In my last post, I shared what constituted the A-list of vegetables. Here are your choices for lean proteins.

Fish: Anchovy, Bass, Catfish, Cod, Grouper, Haddock, Halibut, Hake, Mahi-Mahi, Monk, Pike, Perch, Red Snapper, Redfish, Sea Bass, Shark, Smelt, Sole, Sword, Tilapia, Tuna, Trout, Turbot, Whiting, Walleye, and Wild Salmon.

Seafood: Crab, Crawfish, Clams, Lobster, Mussels, Oysters, Shrimp, Scampi, Scallops, and Squid.

Beef: Flank, Extra-Lean Ground Beef, Kidney, Liver, Rump, Roast, Sirloin, Round, Tournedos, and Tenderloin.

Poultry: Skinless Chicken, Quail, Ostrich, Turkey, Whole Eggs (x2).

Pork: Non-fat Ham, Tenderloin

Other: Bison, Deer, Elk, Frog, and Rabbit.

From the list, I've stuck to 3 choices that are all readily available at the Costco in the frozen foods case. Look for the pre-portioned, individually sealed chicken breast, mahi-mahi fillets, and lean cooked ham deli meat. The chicken runs you about $16 for a 6.5 pound bag. The fish is a bit more expensive at $13 for 2.5 pounds, and the ham $10 for 3 pounds. The choices give me the variety I need without breaking the bank.

Making The Grade - What are "select" vegetables?

On Phase One of Ideal Protein (IP) I have to consume two cups of "select" veggies twice a day, once for lunch and again at dinner. For the most part, I've not had a hard time determining which veggies I like and those I do not. For me, its been a rotation of English cucumbers, red/yellow/orange bell peppers, celery, mushrooms, zucchini, green onion, broccoli, and cauliflower. Occasionally, I'll add asparagus depending on the price at QFC or Safeway.

At lunch, my vegetables are consumed raw with salt and a little pepper. For dinner, I've become a huge fan of stir-fry. Heat 1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil on medium high. Saute 1-2 tsp. diced garlic in the oil til just wilted, then add your 2 cups of vegetables, stir frequently until just cooked through. I like bite to my cauliflower and broccoli, so I take care not to overcook them. A minute or two before everything is warmed through, I'll add 1-2 tbsp of soy sauce, tossing the vegetables and then covering the pan with a lid so that the steam doesn't escape.

On IP, there are other vegetables that make the grade but I've not found a good use for or are too expensive to consider when making my meal choices. They are: Algae, Alfalfa, Arugula, Bean Sprouts, Cabbage, Celeriac, Chicory, Collards, Cress, Endive, Fennel, Green Bell Peppers, Kale, Kohrabi, Leeks, Okra, Onion (raw), hot peppers, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Sorrel, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Turnip, and Watercress.

Occasional (no more than 2x week), less "select" veggies include: Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans, Eggplant, Palm Hearts, Rutabaga, Snow Peas, Swede, and Tomato.

Not permitted: Artichoke, Avocado, Beets, Carrots, Chick Peas, Corn, Parsnips, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Squash,and Yams.

Unfortunately there is no fruit on the IP plan, don't even think about biting into a crisp apple or having a taste of a warm, field-ripened strawberry. From what I've read, there are several reasons for this but I'll hit that topic another day.

What is ketosis?

First and foremost, the Ideal Protein plan is a ketogenic diet. It works by forcing your body into ketosis, forcing it to burn fat for fuel instead of the carbohydrate it prefers. For a decent explanation, I'd suggest reading the article on Ketosis in Wikipedia. Whether or not ketosis is a good or bad thing, I'll leave that up to the experts.

Another good read on the topic of research surrounding ketogenic diets over the past 100 years, would be Gary Taubes book, Why We Get Fat: And What To Do About It. I wish I'd read this one book before starting IP. I believe it may have helped me make a more informed decision about whether to follow the IP Protocol or develop one of my own. Gary makes a compelling argument that ketosis is a natural state that has evolved over millenia.

Now that I've read the book, I've been taking a closer look at Atkins, South Beach, Paleo, and other diet programs. The thing that sets IP apart from them is the reliance on pre-made packets of protein powdered meals. Its easy. Its convenient. All you need is a bottle of water, the shaker, and your protein packet. This works for me when the carb-counting work of Atkins did not.

Phase 1 - Eating the IP Way

For those of you unfamiliar with Ideal Protein, its a diet that consists of four phases. Each phase is defined by the menu you eat from from phase one, restrictive to phase four, unrestricted. The goal of every IP dieter is to graduate to phase four having learned how to eat, what to eat, and when to eat. Currently, I've been working on phase one and am hoping to progress to phase two. A day in the life of a phase one dieter looks like this:

Drink 8-16 oz water

Breakfast - One IP Packet, 1 cup of coffee, 1 tsp nonfat milk, stevia sweetener to taste
Supplements - 1 multivitamin, 2 Cal-Mags

Drink 8-16 oz water

Lunch - One IP Packet, 2 cups of "select" veggies, unlimited lettuce, 1/2 tsp Redmond Sea Salt

Drink 8-16 oz water

Snack - One IP Packet

Drink 8-16 oz water

Dinner - 6-8 oz lean protein (cooked weight), 2 cups of "select" veggies, unlimited lettuce
Supplements - 1 multivitamin, 2 Cal-Mags, 1 Potassium

Drink 8-16 oz water

Over the course of the day, you'll be drinking nearly a gallon of water. If your bladder is like mine, you're going to have to pee. I've begun planning my day around where the cleanest restrooms are located and they have to be in a location where I can easily find them in 45 minute increments. This is one of those things about IP that I seriously dislike. I've had to warn my colleagues that if a meeting is going to stretch beyond 60 minutes, that I'll be politely excusing myself midway. Most laugh this off until they see me dancing in my seat while simultaneously becoming more and more agitated.

When I confronted my coach on this, I was told the body when burning fat converts that fat to several water soluble components that are discarded when urinating. Go figure! On IP, I'm literally melting from the inside out. For folks that haven't seen me in a while (ie, pre-fat days) I tell them someone dumped a bucket of water over me and I'm literally melting.

IP Shakes vs. The Competition

I've been comparison shopping. In my previous post, I shared how the IP protocol is a bit more expensive than advertised at the clinic or in print materials you may have found online. Several different news agencies have reported on the true cost of competing diet plans. They're worth viewing.

One of the components of IP is the chocolate drink powder or ready-made. Its one of my favorite meals, blended with a cup of ice and a Starbucks Via packet. It gets me through most stressful morning commutes and leaves me feeling satisfied until lunch time. At $4 for the packet and another $1 for the Via packet, I began wondering how I could be a bit more frugal and still find the nutritionally equivalent meal. Going to the grocery stores proved to be a futile effort. I checked with Safeway, QFC, and Trader Joe's and found little that would suffice as a replacement to IP. When I hit Costco, I found that they had two options for the ready-made. The first was Muscle Milk Lite in chocolate and the second, Premiere Nutrition's Chocolate Protein Shake. Further research online lead me to EAS's Myoplex Ready-Made and Powders. Worldwide Nutrition also sells several protein drinks at The Vitamin Shoppe and GNC stores.

You can view the side by side comparisons by viewing the spreadsheet I've begun editing. I can't verify the quality or quantity of the proteins; I'll have to do that in a future post.

A few times per week, I trade out the IP powder with the Premiere Nutrition shake from Costco. For about $2.50 (half the cost of the IP/Starbucks combo) I get an extra 40 calories and 15 grams of protein. I'm more satisfied and I can last a little bit longer between meals.

As an aside, my kids have tried the PN shakes and they think they taste like chocolate chip cookies. We've even started using the shakes in place of milk in breakfast cereals. As a parent, I'm happy fortifying their breakfast cereals with an additional 15 grams of protein for only 80 calories. It makes feeding them Cocoa Crispies a little more reasonable.

The True Cost of Ideal Protein

One of the biggest challenges (beyond all the healthy eating) is the cost associated with following protocol during Phase 1. When I signed up with Bothell Chiropractic and Wellness, I didn't quite comprehend how expensive this would be. For $358 I was given a week's supply of food, my vitamin and mineral supplements, and a "lifetime" coaching benefit. Each week beyond, during phase 4, I'd pay another $84 for the small protein packets (21 of them) that would be the bulk of my meals. What I hadn't anticipated was the cost of groceries beyond the packets.

Each day, I've had to supply a lean protein (6-8 oz. chicken breast or other lean meat), four cups of select vegetables (broccoli, cauli, cukes, etc.), and lettuce greens. The veggie/lean protein costs varies but averages around $6/day. Couple that with the $12 in food costs and I've been paying nearly $20/day for meals. Here's what I've estimated will be your costs:

Ideal Protein (IP) Meals - $12
Veggies & Lean Protein - $6
Ideal Protein Required Supplements - $2

Multiply by 30 days in a month, and its going to cost about $600 to lose anywhere between 15 and 30 pounds. Before I began IP, my food budget was nowhere near this, even with entertainment food costs for going out with friends or for drinks. I was sold on the $84/week cost, or the $12/day cost advertised in print materials and during the IP Open House. Be prepared. It is more expensive than advertised, especially if vegetables and lean proteins are expensive in your neck of the woods.

The Beginning of an IP Wannabe

After forty-six days on the Ideal Protein protocol, I've lost 25 pounds and nearly as many inches. Its been a true success for me, from 194 to 169 pounds and a 38" waist to a 32" waist. I wish that I can say that its been easy, the reality is that its taken a tremendous amount of willpower and want-to.

As I look around me, I see so many people that could benefit from the program. I actively push it on my friends and coworkers and a few have begun the journey in the way that I have. Some can't get beyond the price, others the restrictions. This is not a program for the undisciplined or financially strapped. I'm not sure I can help someone with willpower, this is something you have or don't. You either want to be skinny and lean, or you don't. The choices I make each and every day lead me one way or the other.

In an effort to help others, I've focused my research on how to make the IP Program more affordable. I've been looking at the program, carefully analyzing its four phases as I've progressed through them to see what adjustments could be made to maintain the integrity of the idea behind Ideal Protein and yet make it affordable for the leanest budget.